About
Tucked into Ventura's Saticoy-adjacent stretch, Extreme Marine is the kind of neighborhood aquarium store that earns fierce loyalty. Owner Scott and his team — staffers Cole and Clara get name-dropped constantly — run a shop that feels more like a community hub than a retail space. Customers drive nearly three hours each way for their livestock, and it's easy to see why: the tanks are consistently clean, the fish are healthy, and the freshwater plants actually thrive after you take them home.
The freshwater side is a standout. Shoppers rave about the plant selection, reporting that pagoda plants purchased here are still going strong nine months later — a far cry from big-box store offerings. Ramshorn snails, a wide range of freshwater species, and quality dry goods round out the inventory.
On the saltwater side, the store stocks reef tank essentials and clownfish, and the team fielded a call-ahead order for reef supplies with seamless efficiency. Out front, koi draw visitors who stop just to feed them. What sets Extreme Marine apart is the depth of conversation you get at the counter.
Clara once helped a family diagnose and save a dying fish with precise guidance. Cole walks customers through tank design with enough detail that they leave feeling genuinely educated. One first-time aquarist left with a 29-gallon kit, store-provided water, and a conditioner regimen for cycling — plus an in-depth follow-up discussion about planted tank goals on a return visit.
Manager Chris even helped a grieving customer rehome his late father's fish and move tanks, going well beyond any reasonable expectation. Prices run slightly above the big chains, but the livestock quality and hands-on expertise justify it. The store carries a broad range of aquarium supplies and equipment for both freshwater and saltwater setups.
If you're in the Ventura area and serious about fishkeeping, Extreme Marine delivers the kind of informed, caring support that keeps hobbyists coming back for years.
What they offer
Livestock, services, water
- Livestock & products
- Services
- Specializes in
Highlights
What makes them special
- Freshwater plants that consistently thrive — customers report pagodas lasting 9+ months
- Knowledgeable staff including Cole and Clara who provide in-depth tank setup guidance
- Clean tanks with healthy fish — customers drive up to three hours for their livestock
- Full freshwater and saltwater inventory including reef supplies and clownfish
- Koi display out front where visitors can feed the fish
From keepers
Customer reviews
“I have no idea how I gave extreme marine 1 star. I think that might have been a pocket dial situation. The whole crew a extreme marine are great and have always been super helpful. Highly recommend.”
— Glen Holden5.0Edited 18 hours ago“I'm not into marine life, but my dad was. He passed away recently, and he would always talk about this awesome shop that he went to to get his equipment and fish. After he passed, I visited the shop and spoke with the manager, Chris. I expressed that I wasn't interested in picking up the hobby, but would need help getting rid of all the tanks and equipment. Chris went absolutely above and beyond, completely out of his way, to help me save the fish and move the tanks. He helped me through a really rough time. Go check these guys out. I can't speak much about fish, but I can say they are great people. Thank you so much for helping me.”
— Alex5.0a month ago“Scott and his staff are the best people you could trust for knowledge as well as a source for a wide variety of Quality freshwater and marine livestock! This store is a great place to stop in, and it will quickly get you involved in the hobby, or if you already have an aquarium, it will become your new favorite store! I love Extreme Marine!”
— Jake S5.0a month ago“Lovely aquarium store. Staff are very helpful. Great products.”
— wendy kelly5.04 months ago“Since I'm always up at our nursery in Saticoy, I usually go fill up my fresh water jugs for my aquarium.”
— Jerry Arko4.0Edited 6 months ago“I absolutely love this shop!!! Slightly more expensive but quality is WORTH the price, when it comes to fresh water fish, snails, and plants (I haven’t shopped for salt water stuff, so I can’t speak on that) . The fresh water plants I’ve purchased have always thrived beautifully from here, unlike the Petco & PetSmart plants. Also, they carry a larger variety of fresh water plants and fish. Also, I would like to note that I have never bought sick fish or plants. You can tell the care they put into the living organisms. I bought many pagodas (pic attached to this post) from here, most of them are still thriving (despite it being over 9 months ago). I’m also very appreciative and relieved that they were willing to take some of my ramshorn snail population (they overtook a tank and I did not want to exterminate them). The employees here are always eager to help and answer questions you may have. Great customer service overall. I highly recommend this establishment to any freshwater tank enthusiast.”
— Larissa Garcia5.06 months ago“Employees are very knowledgeable and helpful.”
— Rebecca Alls5.09 months ago“Beautiful place. Great variety of fishes to look at and buy! GREAT Customer service answers any inconvenience you might have.”
— candida martinez5.010 months ago“Scott and his friendly team are very knowledgeable and helpful. They have great prices and lots of options for people with a variety of experience levels. Highly recommended”
— Ryan5.0a year ago“Im going to give you 4 starts just because this place is amazing in terms of the variety of fish. But this message is for the owner. Please treat your customer’s a little better. You guys don’t seem to have ‘patience’ at all and when we ask questions the response is not the best . Last time I was here it wasn’t a pleasant one. I understand we all go thru a lot of stress at our jobs but we have to understand that customer service is the most important and main part of our jobs. If we don’t give a good customer service a lot of people don’t come back & this impacts our businesses badly. Thank you. 🙏🏻”
— Patrick O'Neill4.0a year ago
Reference
Frequently asked questions
Note — Store information and services may change. Always call (805) 644-3474 to confirm current availability, hours, and services before visiting Extreme Marine.